DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ MLB roundup: Kodai Senga shines in debut as Mets down Marlins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

[1/2] Apr 2, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) pitches against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at loanDepot Park. /Rhona Wise-USA TODAY SportsApril 3 - Right-hander Kodai Senga struck out eight batters in his major league debut, leading the New York Mets to a 5-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon. Marlins starter Trevor Rogers (0-1) lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, two walks and four runs, three earned. He allowed one run on three hits while walking two and striking out six in his first start of the season. Two of Houck's five hits allowed were home runs by Baltimore's Adam Frazier (3-for-4, two RBIs, two runs) and Cedric Mullins (2-for-5, run, three RBIs).

☆ MLB roundup: Trayce Thompson's 3 HRs power Dodgers' rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Rangers 16, Phillies 3Mitch Garver hit a pair of three-run home runs in Texas' rout of Philadelphia in Arlington, Texas. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman (0-1) struck out seven and walked one in six innings. Nationals starter Josiah Gray (0-1) allowed five runs on seven hits -- including three home runs -- in five innings. Gray (1-0) allowed three hits, struck out one and walked four in the second game of the three-game series. The Rays scored the seven runs on six hits, and Yandy Diaz added two runs with a home run the following inning.

☆ Italian minister warns ECB of risk from higher interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Federico Maccioni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CERNOBBIO, Italy, April 1 (Reuters) - The outlook for the Italian economy is improving but higher interest rates designed to curb inflation could pose a threat to growth, Italy's economy minister said on Saturday, sending a warning to the European Central Bank (ECB). "Fighting inflation with monetary policy is not enough, recession cannot be the price paid for fighting inflation," Giancarlo Giorgetti said. Giorgetti is from the League party which last month criticised the ECB for pushing ahead with its latest 50 basis point rate increase despite turmoil in the banking sector. He added it would be difficult for the European Union when it comes to reintroducing budget rules that remain suspended until the end of 2023. Reporting by Giancarlo Navach and Federico Maccioni, Writing by Keith Weir Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ECB's De Guindos warns of broad risks in financial sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Giancarlo Navach | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CERNOBBIO, Italy, April 1 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank (ECB) is monitoring current market tensions closely and will act to preserve price and financial stability in the euro area, ECB vice-president Luis de Guindos said in a speech on Saturday. "...In our view, vulnerabilities in the financial system prevail in the non-bank financial sector, which grew fast and increased its risk-taking during the low interest rate environment," De Guindos told the Ambrosetti business forum in northern Italy. Reporting by Giancarlo Navach Writing by Keith Weir, editing by Gavin JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's Treasury sets up new department for state-run companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, March 16 (Reuters) - Italy approved on Thursday a decree to create a new department at the economy ministry in charge of managing state-controlling companies such as energy groups Enel (ENEI.MI) and Eni . Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti announced the scheme in January as part of efforts to tighten the government's grip on key companies dealing with some of the most delicate corporate issues facing Italy. Under the scheme, the influential Treasury department within the ministry, led by veteran economist Riccardo Barbieri, will continue to supervise public debt management, macroeconomic policies, European and international relations as well as financial regulation. The newly created "economic department" will have its own director general and will handle the decision-making process regarding state-controlled firms, public assets and public guarantees on banking loans. Rome is expected to decide on the chairperson and CEO positions of these firms by the end of next week, government sources said.

☆ Italy may have staved off recession, economy minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Giuseppe Fonte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

However, he did warn that European Central Bank rate rises would pose "serious problems" for high-debt countries such as Italy. An economic recession is widely defined as two consecutive quarters of declining GDP and the euro zone's third largest economy shrank 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2022 from the previous three months. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration is due to unveil its new growth estimates and public finance targets next month. Annual growth is now expected at almost 1%, up from the 0.6% target set in November, a Treasury official has previously said. With the European Central Bank (ECB) raising interest rates, Giorgetti said Italy should keep following a "cautious and responsible" fiscal policy in order to lower its public debt.

☆ Telecom Italia boosted by rival offer for landline grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TIM is betting on a sale of its most prized asset to cut its 25 billion euros debt pile and fund an overhaul of the revenue-starved group. Both offers value TIM's grid, which is Italy's main piece of telecoms infrastructure, in the region of 18 billion euros ($19.2 billion), sources familiar with the matter said. "The news is positive for TIM as a second approach increases its bargaining power," broker Equita wrote in a research note. The shares were up around 3.5% at 0.32 euros at 0900 GMT, levels not seen since last April. Regulation issues remain a hurdle for the new bidders, as CDP and Macquarie own TIM'smaller rival Open Fiber.

☆ Italy's MPS to rejoin Milan's blue-chip index from March 20 - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI) is set to rejoin the FTSE MIB blue-chip index on the Milan stock exchange after six years of absence, two market sources told Reuters on Monday. MPS is currently in the FTSE MID Cap index and left the blue-chip index in March 2017. At 1536 GMT, its stock was up by more than 3.6%, outperforming Italy's bank sub-index (.FTITLMS3010). One trader said MPS' stock has benefited from very high liquidity following November's 2.5-billion-euro new share issue, making it eligible for blue-chip status. At the same time, Italian cement maker Buzzi Unicem (BZU.MI) is "very likely" to be downgraded from the blue-chip to the FTSE MID Cap index, the trader said.

☆ Wealthy G7 nations gearing up for new volley of sanctions on Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Leaders of the bloc of developed nations will meet virtually on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion, and are expected to announce the sanctions package. Current G7 president Japan said it was considering new measures, without giving any details, and called for a unified stance towards Moscow. "Russia is refusing to change their hardline stance," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a news conference to mark the anniversary. India, which has maintained a neutral stance on the conflict, does not want the G20 to discuss additional sanctions on Russia. Speaking at the G20, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen accused Russian officials of being "complicit" in atrocities in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Saipem shares drop, group says cannot explain why
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Saipem (SPMI.MI) does not have any information explaining Monday's share movements, a spokesman for the Italian energy contractor said, after the stock closed down 5.7%. More than 10% of the share capital of the group was traded on the Milan stock exchange, according to Refinitiv data. In July a pool of lender bought Saipem's shares worth almost 600 million euros after a cash call fell short of the 2 billion euro target. BNP Paribas, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit were the joint global coordinators of the Saipem issue. Reporting by Francesca Landini and Giancarlo Navach, editing by Gianluca Semeraro and Gavin JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU Leaders to Clash Over Response to U.S. Green Subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Italy’s minister of finance and economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti, warned this week that relaxing rules on state aid to clean-tech companies risks widening the gulf between richer and poorer EU members. BRUSSELS—European leaders meeting here Thursday are set to clash over how to respond to new environmental subsidies in the U.S., in a debate that pits some of the bloc’s wealthier members against those that are less able or willing to spend heavily on industrial support. Washington last year adopted massive clean-tech subsidies that some EU officials worry could hollow out the bloc’s burgeoning green industries. In response, some officials advocate easing the EU’s own strict subsidy rules to allow for more government spending—an idea that has proved controversial.

CDP is seeking to finalise its bid after U.S. investment firm KKR (KKR.N) last week filed its own offer for the same Telecom Italia (TIM) asset. Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters KKR's approach valued the venture at about 20 billion euros ($21.4 billion). Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni repeatedly said her government wants to secure public control of TIM's network. But there is no common ground yet within her administration on how to reach such a goal and it was no clear whether a CDP bid would receive the blessing of the Treasury. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti believes Rome has "multiple options" to put TIM's network under strategic government control, a separate source said, without elaborating.

☆ Italy committed to secure Intel investment over chip factory, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MILAN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Italy's government is determined to secure an investment by Intel (INTC.O) to build a chip factory in the country, the economy minister said on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, or luckily, we have had a change in the government: things have worldwide changed as regarding costs, but we are still committed", Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on the sidelines of a parliamentary audition. In her end-of-year news conference in December, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she considered Intel's investment as highly strategic and would schedule a meeting with the company to explore ways to facilitate it. Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Alessia Pé, editing by Gianluca SemeraroOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' takes Best Picture at Critics Choice Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Top movie nominee "Everything Everywhere All at Once" won big at the 28th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night in Los Angeles, taking home honors for Best Picture as well as directing, screenplay, editing and best supporting actor. The top TV series awards went to "Better Call Saul" for Best Drama and "Abbott Elementary," for Best Comedy. Special awards were presented to Janelle Monáe, who received the #SeeHer award, and Jeff Bridges was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Read the full winners list below. Best Picture“Everything Everywhere All at Once”Best ActressCate Blanchett — “Tár”Best ActorBrendan Fraser — “The Whale”Best DirectorDaniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — “Everything Everywhere All at Once”Best Limited Series“The Dropout”Best Drama Series“Better Call Saul”Best Young Actor/ActressGabriel LaBelle — “The Fabelmans”Best Comedy“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”Best Acting Ensemble“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”Best Comedy Special“Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special”Best Foreign Language Series“Pachinko”Best Animated Series“Harley Quinn”Best Movie Made for Television“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”Best Actress in a Drama SeriesZendaya — “Euphoria”Best Actor in a Drama SeriesBob Odenkirk — “Better Call Saul”Best Hair and Makeup“Elvis”Best Visual Effects“Avatar: The Way of Water”Best EditingPaul Rogers — “Everything Everywhere All at Once”Best Production DesignFlorencia Martin, Anthony Carlino —Best CinematographyClaudio Miranda — “Top Gun: Maverick”Best Comedy Series“Abbott Elementary”Best Actress in a Comedy SeriesJean Smart — “Hacks”Best Actor in a Comedy SeriesJeremy Allen White — “The Bear”#SeeHer AwardJanelle MonáeLifetime Achievement AwardJeff BridgesBest Animated Feature“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for TelevisionDaniel Radcliffe — “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”Best Costume DesignRuth E. Carter — “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”Best Song“Naatu Naatu” — “RRR”Best ScoreHildur Guðnadóttir — “Tár”Best Original ScreenplayDaniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert — “Everything Everywhere All at Once”Best Adapted ScreenplaySarah Polley — “Women Talking”Best Supporting ActressAngela Bassett — “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”Best Supporting ActorKe Huy Quan — “Everything Everywhere All at Once”Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesHenry Winkler — “Barry”Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesSheryl Lee Ralph — “Abbott Elementary”Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for TelevisionPaul Walter Hauser — “Black Bird”Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for TelevisionNiecy Nash-Betts — “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”Best Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesGiancarlo Esposito — “Better Call Saul”Best Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesJennifer Coolidge — “The White Lotus”Best Foreign Language Film“RRR”Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made For TelevisionAmanda Seyfried — The Dropout

☆ Italy's Meloni renews criticism of euro zone bailout fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday renewed her criticism of the euro zone bailout fund, a 500-billion-euro ($541.55 billion) facility held back by Rome's reluctance to ratify its recently-adopted reform. The ESM was created in 2012, replacing a temporary fund established in 2010, at the height of the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis. The ESM can offer a lifeline to euro zone governments cut off from markets, or lend to recapitalise banks and provide precautionary credit. The fund was reformed with a 2021 treaty that needs to be ratified by all members of the euro zone before it can enter into force, and Italy is the only country that is dragging its feet over the issue. New ESM tasks under the reformed treaty include providing a backstop to the Single Resolution Fund, which is responsible for dealing with failing banks in the context of the Banking Union.

☆ ‘Kaleidoscope’ Review: Episode Roulette
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Very little about “Kaleidoscope,” the twisty eight-part heist series starring Giancarlo Esposito , Rufus Sewell and Paz Vega , is a mystery, per se, except perhaps why someone thought it was a particularly good idea. That said, once you’re in, you might not let go.

☆ Italy antitrust drops pricing probe into A2A and Hera, partially confirms for others
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust authority on Friday said it had dropped its investigation into energy companies A2A (A2.MI) and Hera (HRA.MI) over suspected improper price-setting for gas and electricity. The agency also said its investigation into other utilities including Eni (ENI.MI) and Enel (ENEI.MI) would no longer cover price changes for contracts which had already expired or were due to expire. Eni, Enel as well as Edison (EDNn.MI), Acea (ACE.MI) and Engie (ENGIE.PA) remain under investigation for the alleged improper price-setting. The five energy companies were given five days to comply with an order to suspend all unilateral price changes they have introduced for open-ended contracts, with no clear or predetermined expiry date. Reporting by Alvise Armellini, additional reporting by Giancarlo Navach in Milan, editing by Louise Heavens, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: Italy's rates clash with ECB a sign of things to come for euro zone
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Francesco Canepa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Summary Euro zone governments offering cost-of-living subsidiesECB has warned it won't compensate for "policy errors"Clashes seen widening beyond ItalyFRANKFURT, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Attacks by Italy's new government on the European Central Bank over its plans to raise borrowing costs may be a sign of things to come for a euro zone struggling with inflation and debt. It also showed the ECB did not fear penalising the most indebted of the 19 euro zone countries, Italy among them, which tend to see their borrowing costs rise disproportionately when credit becomes more expensive. "The ECB is clearly ready to take risks with fragmentation in the euro area," Gilles Moec, chief economist at AXA Investment Managers, said. With bigger deficits to refinance and the ECB raising interest rates while also winding down its bond purchases, markets have pushed up yields across the euro zone and particularly for the weakest borrowers, such as Italy. But the ECB has been clear it won't be used to rescue countries that have made imprudent "policy errors".

☆ Italy waters down plan to promote cash payments after EU criticism
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME (Reuters) - Italy will scrap part of its plans to facilitate cash payments for goods and services after criticism from European Union authorities, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Sunday. FILE PHOTO: A man uses cash to pay for items while shopping in Milan, Italy, October 2, 2020. Critics say cash payments encourage tax dodgers in a country where around 100 billion euros in taxes and social contributions are evaded every year, according to Treasury data. Despite the latest developments, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took office in October, continues to be more indulgent towards cash than her predecessors. Her first budget, which must be approved by parliament before year-end, raises a limit on cash payments to 5,000 euros from next year, up from a previous ceiling of 1,000 euros.

☆ Energy price fall by March is unrealistic, Italian economy minister says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ROME, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Saturday it was unrealistic to expect energy prices to fall by March and that the war in Ukraine will come to an end. He told an event in Rome that Italy was studyng a mechanism to shield households and business from soaring energy bills, which could enter into force next spring. Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte, Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy urges EU to give strong and strategic response to U.S. IRA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ROME, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Italy's economy minister on Saturday urged the European Union to give a strong and strategic response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which he said was posing threats to the national economy. "Some Italian companies are considering moving production to the U.S. following the IRA scheme, it would be a disaster," Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said at an event in Rome. The EU fears that the $430 billion IRA scheme, with its generous tax breaks for domestic production of energy sector components, may lure away EU businesses and disadvantage European companies, from car manufacturers to makers of green technology. Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte, Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

ROME, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The prospect of subsequent hikes in interest rates by the European Central Bank is worrying for highly indebted countries like Italy, its economy minister said on Saturday. "We have benefited as a country for several years of a favourable situation, with interest rates close to or below zero, and this is now changing," Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said speaking at an event in Rome. Ministers of the Italian rightist government criticised the European Central Bank, which raised the financial pressure on one of the euro zone's most indebted countries. Deputy Prime Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini branded the ECB's conduct "unbelievable, baffling, worrying", while Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the move risked helping Russia to undermine Western solidarity for Ukraine. "Some Italian companies are considering moving production to the U.S. following the IRA scheme, it would be a disaster."

☆ Biden's climate plan strains trade ties with Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The European Union and United States — together responsible for one third of global trade — have been at loggerheads in recent weeks over US President Joe Biden’s landmark $370 billion climate plan. While a trade war is unlikely, the plan is testing the transatlantic alliance and pushing Europe to consider mobilizing its own package of subsidies. The IRA is now law, and there is little appetite to bring it back to Congress to make substantive changes, he told CNN Business. The European Union has a couple of options at its disposal, analysts told CNN Business. On Monday, Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said that the bloc should create its own “European IRA plan,” according to a Reuters report.

☆ Italy urges EU subsidy package in response to U.S. IRA scheme
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti on Monday called for a common European Union approach to support competitiveness and protect strategic production, in response to the massive subsidies in the United States' Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The EU fears that the $430 billion IRA scheme, with its generous tax breaks for domestic production of energy sector components, may lure away EU businesses and disadvantage European companies, from car manufacturers to makers of green technology. "We are in favour of a European IRA plan with the objective of reducing inflation," Giorgetti said in a statement issued on the sidelines of a meeting with fellow euro zone finance ministers in Brussels. Giorgetti said the EU should act in a united fashion rather than follow a country-by-country approach. Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Gavin Jones and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy ageing faster than EU peers, population drops below 59 mln
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Italy's population has dropped below 59 million and the country is ageing at a much faster rate than its European Union peers, national statistical agency Istat said on Monday. A shrinking and ageing population is a major worry for a stagnant economy like Italy as it is linked to falling productivity, less innovation and higher welfare bills among other things. "As of January 1, 2022 according to first preliminary data, the (resident) population has fallen to 58.983 million," Istat president Giancarlo Blangiardo said in a parliamentary hearing in Rome. Blangiardo, a renowned demography expert, said the national population has been shrinking steadily since 2014, with a cumulative loss since then of more than 1.36 million residents. "Our country's demographic outlook is characterised by a significant growth in life expectancy and by an equally marked fall of the birth rate, resulting in a much faster ageing of the population compared to the rest of Europe," he said.

Search resuls for: "Giancarlo"

25 mentions found